The Most Annoying Interview Question That Interviewers Need to Stop Asking

I'll start out by saying that I hate this question. Everyone hates this question.

As various techniques, styles, and technologies for hiring come and go out of fashion, this question persists like a cockroach. So I thought I would take the time to document my advice on dealing most effectively with this question.

Why do people ask this question?

Interviewers ask this question for a few different reasons.

They are actually interested in getting a rounded perspective of the candidate.

They know it’s a standard interview question so they ask it without any particular purpose or desired outcome. Yes, they're aksing it and just checking a box.

They want to try and trip you up by asking you an annoying question that puts you on the defense to see you you’ll react.

In all of these cases, from my experience interviewing personally, as well as when I interviewed other candidates, the best answers take the following form:

Remember: Don’t let this question throw you or put you on the defensive. Prepare for it.

“What is your greatest weakness?”

Here is an example of how I have answered this question:

“So Patty, What is your greatest weakness?”

Step 1 — Think: I expected this and I have an answer that I am comfortable with…

Step 2 — Say something like, “Well as we discussed, my strengths are in building teams that can execute, executing strategy, and communicating. That involves excellent strategic and operational skills, team building, organizational development, as well as strong communication and motivation skills.” You need to keep this brief enough that it does not seem like an evasion. (Actually it’s important to articulate this brief description of your strengths whether or not you get asked the weakness question.)

Step 3 — Also add, "The areas where I lack strengths are in being a visionary technologist, and, being a deep financial analytical person.”

Step 4 — Then say, "The way that I overcome this is that when I build a team that can execute, I make sure to always have (or recruit) a strong technology visionary and a strong financial analyst.”

Step 5 — Close with, “No one person can be good at everything, but a team can. In this manner I make up for my own weaknesses by putting people on my team who are stronger in those areas than I could ever dream of being, and I create an environment where they can truly thrive, because creating a productive work environment IS a strength of mine.”

The benefit of this approach is that you are not evading the answer because you are giving a good answer, and, you are also saying something positive and action oriented.

Note to interviewers: Stop asking this question!

If you want to learn something real and interesting about the person in non-ideal situations, don’t simply ask, “What are your weaknesses?” Instead ask them something more interesting about actual, challenging situations. For example:

Tell me about a time where you had to deal with a very difficult or unfair situation, or a difficult person.

Tell me about the most painful surprise in your career and what you learned from it.

Tell me about a time when you were wrong. What did you do about it?

Tell me about a time when you really struggled with a work situation or project. What happened, and what did you do about it?

Tell me about a failure in your career and how you handled it?

By the way, weak performers will be scared off by these questions and strong performers will be excited to tell you their stories — especially Question No. 5.

By the way, strong performers have a mindset that failure is not personally damaging — it’s instead a great opportunity to grow.

High performers will not only NOT-avoid this question, but they’ll jump in with, “Let me tell you about a real disaster!” with a smile on their face. In fact, strong performers always see failure as a learning opportunity, and they’ll learn something really important that they are more than happy to talk about.

Patty Azzarello is an executive, best-selling author, speaker and CEO/Business Advisor. She has more than 25+ years of experience working in high tech and business. She has held leadership roles in General Management, Marketing, Software Product Development and Sales.
Patty became the youngest general manager at Hewlett Packard at the age of 33. She ran a $1 billion software business at the age of 35 and became a CEO for the first time at the age of 38 (without turning into a self-centered, miserable jerk).
Her prior roles have included: Vice President and General Manager of HP OpenView, Chief Marketing Officer for Siebel Systems, and President and CEO of Euclid Software.
Patty is the founder of Azzarello Group, which works with CEOs and leadership teams to help their businesses (and people) get better at what they do. She is the author of the best selling book RISE: 3 Practical Steps to Advancing Your Career, Standing Out as a Leader (and Liking Your Life).

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